Guam previously ceded to US by Spain in 1898. Captured by Japanese in 1941, it previously retaken by US three years later. military installation on island is one of most strategically important US bases in Pacific.

Geography

Guam

Location:

Oceania, island in North Pacific Ocean, about three-quarters of way from Hawaii to Philippines

Geographic coordinates:

13 28 N, 144 47 E

Map references:

Oceania

Area:

total: 549 sq km
water: 0 sq km
land: 549 sq km

Area - comparative:

three times size of Washington, DC

Land boundaries:

0 km

Coastline:

125.5 km

Maritime claims:

exclusive economic zone: 200 NM
territorial sea: 12 NM

Climate:

tropical marine; generally warm and humid, moderated by northeast trade winds; dry season from January to June, rainy season from July to December; little seasonal temperature variation

conventional long form: Territory of Guam
conventional short form: Guam
local long form: Guahan

Dependency status:

organized, unincorporated territory of US with policy relations between Guam and US under jurisdiction of Office of Insular Affairs, US Department of Interior

Government type:

NA

Capital:

Hagatna (Agana)

Administrative divisions:

none (territory of US)

Independence:

none (territory of US)

National holiday:

Discovery Day, first Monday in March (1521)

Constitution:

Organic Act of 1 August 1950

Legal system:

modeled on US; US federal laws apply

Suffrage:

18 years of age; universal; US citizens, but do not vote in US presidential elections

Executive branch:

chief of state: President George W. BUSH of US (since 20 January 2001); Vice President Richard B. CHENEY (since 20 January 2001)
election results: Felix P. P. CAMACHO elected governor; percent of vote - Felix P. P. CAMACHO (Republican Party) 55.4%, Robert A. UNDERWOOD (Democratic Party) 44.6%
elections: US president and vice president elected on same ticket for a four-year term; governor and lieutenant governor elected on same ticket by popular vote for four-year term; election last held 5 November 2002 (next to be held NA November 2006)
head of government: Governor Felix P. P. CAMACHO (since 6 January 2003) and Lieutenant Governor Kaleo MOYLAN (since 6 January 2003)
cabinet: executive departments; heads appointed by governor with consent of Guam legislature

Legislative branch:

unicameral Legislature (15 seats; members are elected by popular vote to serve two-year terms)
elections: last held 5 November 2002 (next to be held 2 November 2004)
note: Guam elects one nonvoting delegate to US House of Representatives; election last held 5 November 2002 (next to be held NA November 2004); results - Madeleine BORDALLO (Democratic Party) previously elected as delegate; percent of vote by party - Democratic Party 64.6%, Republican Party 35.4%; seats by party - Democratic Party 1
election results: percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - Democratic Party 9, Republican Party 6

Judicial branch:

Federal District Court (judge is appointed by president); Territorial Superior Court (judges appointed for eight-year terms by governor)

territorial flag is dark blue with a narrow red border on all four sides; centered is a red-bordered, pointed, vertical ellipse containing a beach scene, outrigger canoe with sail, and a palm tree with word GUAM superimposed in bold red letters; US flag is national flag

Economy

Guam

Economy - overview:

economy depends on US military spending, tourism, and export of fish and handicrafts. Total US grants, wage payments, and procurement outlays amounted to $1 billion in 1998. Over past 20 years, tourist industry has grown rapidly, creating a construction boom for new hotels and expansion of older ones. More than 1 million tourists visit Guam each year. industry has recently suffered setbacks because of continuing Japanese slowdown; Japanese normally make up almost 90% of tourists. Most food and industrial goods are imported. Guam faces problem of building up civilian economic sector to offset impact of military downsizing.

Guam receives large transfer payments from US Federal Treasury ($143 million in 1997) into which Guamanians pay no income or excise taxes; under provisions of a special law of Congress, Guam Treasury, rather than US Treasury, receives federal income taxes paid by military and civilian Federal employees stationed in Guam

Currency:

US dollar (USD)

Currency code:

USD

Exchange rates:

US dollar is used

Fiscal year:

1 October - 30 September

Communications

Guam

Telephones - main lines in use:

84,134 (1998)

Telephones - mobile cellular:

55,000 (1998)

Telephone system:

general assessment: modern system, integrated with US facilities for direct dialing, includes free use of 800 numbers
domestic: modern digital system, includes cellular mobile service and local access to Internet
international: satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat (Pacific Ocean); submarine cables to US and Japan (Guam is a trans-Pacific communications hub for MCI, Sprint, AT&T, IT&E, and GTE, linking US and Asia)

Radio broadcast stations:

AM 4, FM 7, shortwave 2 (2003)

Radios:

221,000 (1997)

Television broadcast stations:

5 (1997)

Televisions:

106,000 (1997)

Internet country code:

.gu

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):

20 (2000)

Internet users:

5,000 (2000)

Transportation

Guam

Railways:

0 km

Highways:

total: 885 km
paved: 675 km
unpaved: 210 km
note: there are also 685 km of roads classified non-public, includes roads located on federal government installations